Pickleball-X Paddles by Franklin Sports | Comparison & Reviews 2018

Franklin Sports is a well known sporting goods manufacturer, they've been making sports equipment since 1946 for a wide-range of sports. I remember seeing the Franklin logo as far back as the kickball on the grade school playground. They sell stuff for a huge variety of different sports and recently entered the pickleball market with the launch of their "Pickleball-X brand paddles".

The Pickleball-X brand has since expanded to include a several new pickleball paddles, as well and other accessories like their glove designed for pickleball (similar to a batting glove but open fingers).

The Charge﻿﻿ is an advanced paddle using some of the most technologically advanced materials available (normally used in the airline industry). The unique thing about this new paddle is that the core is made s Polymethacrylimide (PMI), a lightweight foam material. The paddle is finished with a fiberglass face. As a brand new paddle, time will tell how this new foam core works out and if it's worth the extra cost compared to other paddles from this brand.

Pickleball-X Vibe Paddle

The Vibe features a polypropylene honeycomb core and a fiberglass face. The paddle is a mid range paddle in the Franklin product line. The paddle weighs in at just 7 and a half ounces and has a nice balanced feel which is a good match for a beginner or intermediate paddle. It's someone similar in size and shape to an earlier paddle by Franklin- the Pickleball-X Caliber. The main difference being the former paddle weighed about half an ounce more (8.0 ounces) and featured a Nomex core. The new vibe paddle was launched at a more affordable price point than a Caliber.

Pickleball-X Caliber Paddle

The Caliber paddle weighs in right at 8 ounces. While slightly heavier than the previously reviewed paddle, it's still a very manageable and balance weight. The 5" long handle and ergonomic leather grip give the paddle a solid feel.

Under the fiberglass face is a internal Nomex honeycomb core. The interesting feature of the Caliber is that the face has 2 layers of fiberglass on each side of the paddle face. The double fiberglass hitting surface gives the paddle a solid finish and good feel.

The Caliber does have a traditional rubber edge guard around​ the outer perimeter of the paddle face, protecting it from wear and tear and extending the lifespan. The large sweet spot will be a welcomed feature for players. Competitive players will be pleased to hear that this Franklin paddle is approved for USAPA tournament play and those living in gated communities will be happy that this paddle qualifies as a quiet zone paddle -less noisy than other paddles on the market.

Pickleball-X Viper Paddle

If you are not familiar with this category of paddles (they do not have a traditional edge guard to protect the rim) we recommend you read that first before making a buying decision to see if this paddle is right for you or not.

There are other brands that have been making balls for decades so it's understandable that the first reiteration may not be the best and they are working on quality (the main complaints so far from players has been that some of the X-40 balls crack prematurely).

​Having such a well-known sports brand like Franklin move into pickleball and create their own brand (Pickleball-X) is a good sign for the sport, the increased demand as the sport grows shows that companies are paying attention and want to get into the action.

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